Annoying Americanisms? A rebuttal

Originally Posted by bill

"Guy(s)" used to mean "any human person" is still not that common, at least as far as I can tell.

Oh, it is very commonly used in the midwest, guys.

Only a couple that wind me up:

#50 Jonathan from Birmingham is right on the money. "I could care less" causes foam to bubble at the back of my throat.

"ya know?" Every time I hear myself utter this one, a little part of me dies.

Originally Posted by bill

"Guy(s)" used to mean "any human person" is still not that common, at least as far as I can tell. Anytime I hear someone use it in reference to one or more females, I'm still taken aback. But then, the same thing is starting to happen to "dude".

Maybe "guys" is a Spanish word - any group containing one or more males takes the masculine form.

1+ Females - Chica/s; 1+ Males - Chico/s; Mixed group - that's Chicos too.
1+ Females - girl/s; 1+ Males - guy/s; Mixed group - you're all guys, shut up ladies...

I've gradually taken to using the term 'guys' a lot now, though I too found it very odd when I first heard it being used to include women. I suppose I like the informality of it. For some reason gender-non-specific words such as 'folks' and 'peeps' just don't naturally fall from my mouth in the same way. Odd.

Originally Posted by bill

9. "Touch base" - it makes me cringe no end. Chris, UK
　
Any opportunity for innuendo should be welcomed, Chris! Though obviously it's a baseball metaphor.

Again, yes. It's an American sports phrase associated with a specifically American sport, so why shouldn't Americans use it? And anybody else who'd like to, for that matter!


40. I am increasingly hearing the phrase "that'll learn you" - when the English (and more correct) version was always "that'll teach you". What a ridiculous phrase! Tabitha, London
　
Well, yes, Tabitha, this is straightforward misuse, but I do not see that it has any more prevalence in US usage than in UK usage. Perhaps your acquaintances have discovered that this annoys you and are doing it deliberately? Just a thought.

This is only used, as far as I know, when someone is being intentionally ungrammatical for the sake of humor. Usually very mild or low-key humor, as it's become a cliche' by now.

Perhaps 'touch base' could also be related to baseball's more English cousin, rounders, which we've all played at school? Anyway, have none of these people ever seen America TV programmes or those big Hollywood films what they have nowadays? The yoof (and oldies) of today have, all their lives, which is why we now have this rich bank of wonderful, colourful language to draw from, adding all kids of different nuances and flavours to our speech.

As for the second one I've quoted, 'that'll learn 'em' has always been used in my (English) family in the same way Bill recognises, a humorous way to point out where someone's done something silly with appropriate consequences. Always said in as colloquial a way as possible, of course (I almost wrote 'natch' there but imagine the trouble THAT would have caused!).

I missed this one. 'Learn you' used like that is standard Northern British, and has been for years. It certainly was when I lived in Hull 30 years ago and Mrs JM says it's standard South Yorks Sheffield. The phrase "that'll learn you," is quite often immediately followed by an affectionate "you daft sod", or "you stupid bugger", depending on how well you knew the person.

Originally Posted by edwardzee7

Erb instead of herb. Alumanon instead of aluminium. And, while we're American bashing... why do they have such large gaps around the doors in public toilets - I don't like having a pee and being able to see out into the washroom - it means people can see it at me!,

If they didn't have the huge gaps round the sides of doors in toilets then about a quarter of Hollywood 'thriller' movies would have to find a new way of getting the hero to hear something they shouldn't, half glimpse the killer etc. etc.

Here's the other side of the coin; a blog by a professor of English, and New York Times contributor, charting the "alarming number of traditionally British expressions have found their way into the American vocabulary." http://britishisms.wordpress.com/?bl...subscribe-blog